How are bats affected by wind turbines?
Dead bats are found beneath wind turbines all over the world. It’s estimated that tens to hundreds of thousands die at wind turbines each year in North America alone.
Unfortunately, it’s not yet clear why this is happening. It’s possible that wind turbines interfere with seasonal migration and mating patterns in some species of bats. More than three quarters of the bat fatalities at wind turbines are from species known as “tree bats,” which tend to migrate long distances and roost in trees. These bats migrate and mate primarily during late summer and early autumn, which is also when the vast majority of bat fatalities at wind turbines occur. It’s also possible that bats mistake slow or stopped turbine blades for trees.
Learn more at the USGS North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat) website.
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Pallid bat with transmitter
A Pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus) is outfitted with a radio transmitter to help lead us to its roost. The transmitter is attached with a temporary adhesive that will wear off within around 2 weeks, about as long as the battery life of the transmitter lasts. By following the bat USGS researchers will be able to learn what habitat types are important for this species,
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Western red bat release
Like most wild animals, bats often don't appreciate being handled for research purposes. However when holding bats after handling and examination, they often appreciate the warmth and need a little push to go. This Western red bat (Lasiurus blossevillii) was captured during USGS WERC research to learn more about the ecology, distribution, and movement patterns of
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A Bat Interacting with a Wind Turbine
Surveillance video from a temperature-imaging camera shows a bat interacting with a wind turbine. Video credit: Paul Cryan, USGS
Spectrograph of an acoustic bat recording
Spectrograph of an acoustic recording from the western small-footed myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum) noting shape and frequency of call with photo of the western small-footed myotis and cartoon representation of this bat echolocating below.
Wind Turbines and Rainbow
Tall wind turbines in a semi-arid shrubland with a bright rainbow
Scanning Electron Microscopy of Pallas’ Mastiff Bat
Scanning Electron Microscopy of Pallas’ Mastiff Bat, Molossus molossus
Bat emergence, Paul Cryan, USGS photo.
Bats emerging from the trees in the early evening sky.
A bat that was killed by a wind turbine laying in the grass.
A bat that was killed by a wind turbine laying in the grass.